Thieves use bamboo to reach keys in two Portsmouth houses

People smuggling duo sent to prison

THIEVES tried to steal keys from two homes by poking a bamboo cane through the letterbox.

Residents at a property near the junction of New Road and New Road East in North End, Portsmouth, discovered a cane sticking through their front door at about 8am on Saturday morning.

A bamboo cane was also sticking out from the letter box of the house next door.

Police believe thieves had tried to use the cane to reach a set of keys which were close to the door.

PC Sabrina West said: ‘We are appealing for anyone who may have seen anyone acting suspiciously in the area of New Road and New Road East overnight between Friday, October 14 and Saturday, October 15, to come forward.

‘We particularly want to hear from anyone who saw anyone carrying bamboo canes in the area.

‘We are advising householders to keep their house keys and car keys away from the hall area adjacent to the front door or anywhere else where they could be reached from outside. Do not hang keys on hooks near to the door and make sure you remove keys from the lock so that they cannot be reached through the letterbox.’